President Kagame, First Lady vote in Beijing

Monday, September 03, 2018

Jean d'Amour Mbonyinshuti

President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame cast their vote in legislative elections at the Rwandan Embassy in China, yesterday. About 46,000 Rwandans in Diaspora were expected to cast their ballots yesterday, while over 7 million are expected to take part in the direct poll in Rwanda today. Village Urugwiro.

President Paul Kagame and First lady Jeannette Kagame yesterday joined Rwandans living in Diaspora to elect Members of Parliament.

Rwandans living and working abroad went to the polls yesterday to vote for representatives in the next lower chamber of Deputies ahead of today’s general election.

President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame who are attending the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in China, earlier on Sunday, cast their ballot from the Rwandan Embassy in Beijing.

According to Charles Kayonga, Rwanda’s Ambassador to China, about 1200 Rwandans registered to vote from China, with the majority being students. Ambassador Kayonga added that other Rwandan officials attending FOCAC voted from the Embassy.

The Rwandan Embassy in Beijing was one of the 115 polling stations in for Rwandans living abroad, according to the electoral commission.

Five political parties and four independent candidates are contesting for 53 seats in this round of Parliamentary elections.

According to Charles Munyaneza, the Secretary General of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), partial results for both Rwandans living abroad and general votes will be released tonight while preliminary ones will be released on Tuesday.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw